2. Mathematical Astronomy is the
science of using mathematical
equations to describe the
universe or to predict various
aspects of the universe.
Mathematics is and always has
been of central importance to
astronomy.

3. The interconnection between maths and
astronomy has always fascinated me.
Historically, the Babylonians knew much
about the stars, and developed mathematics
to help them understand it. They knew
where each star would be in the sky
throughout the year and had sophisticated
systems for calculating positions. Theirs was
a Base-60 number system. We owe the use
of 60 in our telling of time and in the
number of degrees in a circle to the
Babylonians

4. In Egypt, methods developed for
land surveying were also being
applied to astronomy. Eventually,
the Greeks adopted the
mathematical approach taken by
the Babylonians.

5. These early methods were used
with few changes for centuries. In
the 1700s, Caroline Herschel helped
her brother, William, develop the
modern mathematical approach to
astronomy. William Herschel used
many of these methods to help
discover Uranus.

6. In the 1800s, Urbain Jean Joseph
Le Verrier used mathematical
equations to calculate the
existence of Neptune. He gave
his calculations to astronomer
Johann Gottried Galle at the
Berlin Observatory.

7. Using Le Verrier's calculations, Galle
was able to observe the planet within
one hour of starting. Le Verrier
expected to be declared the sole
discoverer of Neptune, but months prior
to his calculations being completed
John Couch Adams, an English
mathematician, had accomplished the
same feat. As a consequence, Le Verrier
and Adams share the honor as Neptune's
discoverers.

8. Le Verrier also theorized that
there was a second asteroid
belt in our solar system. He
believed the second belt was
between the Sun and Mercury.
We now know that this second
belt does not exist.

9. Although most of the mathematics
needed to understand the information
acquired through astronomical
observation comes from physics, there
are special needs from situations that
intertwine mathematics with phenomena
that may not yet have sufficient physics
to explain the observations. These two
uses of mathematics make mathematical
astronomy a continuing challenge

10. An initial use of mathematics in astronomy is
counting entities, sources, or objects in the
sky.
One use of mathematics is the calculation of
distance to an object in the sky.The distance
between sun and earth was also known due
to mathematics .
The planets which are far away from earth
and cannot be seen through naked eyes were
also discovered due to Mathematical
Astronomy